


What Happens In Vegas... Sometimes Changes the Rest of Your Life

by shanahane



Category: Captive Prince - C. S. Pacat
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Auguste (Captive Prince) Lives, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-01
Updated: 2019-12-01
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:53:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21634696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shanahane/pseuds/shanahane
Summary: “Are we really doing this?”“Yes, we are,” Laurent confirms. “Now come on, let’s get married so we can go to bed. I have to be up by 8.”--Or, how Laurent saves Damen's bachelor party and then marries him that same evening while Damen is still engaged to someone else. And does it all sober.
Relationships: Damen/Laurent (Captive Prince)
Comments: 60
Kudos: 448





	What Happens In Vegas... Sometimes Changes the Rest of Your Life

**Author's Note:**

> Other than some profanity, this is a light-read.
> 
> This is a 12 hour 'I need to write something so I'll write something silly' kind of thing that I started in the morning and finished in the evening. 
> 
> It has the plot of a very weak romantic comedy but at least you can read it even when you're tired because it doesn't require much analyzing. You can find something much better to read, I'm sure, but this is something short and sweet to read between stories with more flesh on them. 
> 
> I'm too tired to proof-read. 
> 
> Have fun :)

”May I join you?”

Laurent looks up from his phone to see Damen standing next to his table, hands in his pockets, a lopsided smile on his face. “Sure?” he says and Damen’s smile widens as he sits down. “You waiting for the gang to get ready?”

“Ah, actually, the party is sort of over,” Damen says with a shrug.

Laurent frowns. “It’s your Bachelor party.”

“It is.”

“It’s barely 9PM.”

“True.”

”How is Bachelor party sort of over at barely 9PM?”

“Well, Nik hit his head…”

“Oh my God, is he okay?”

“Yeah, but he needs stitches so Auguste took him to the ER. Annie has a weird rash that could be the chicken pox so Lazar and Pallas are stuck Skyping with the babysitter. And Jord… Well. Jord’s usually in bed by 9.30 and one silly Bachelor party won’t change his schedule.”

“That sucks.”

Damen leans back in his chair and crosses his arms across his chest. His expression is way too nonchalant for someone whose Las Vegas Bachelor party was just effectively ruined. “Sucks more for them than me,” he says. “I told them I don’t need a party. Nik, Lazar and Pallas practically begged me to agree.”

“You surprise me,” Laurent says. When Damen raises his eyebrows, he continues: “You strike me as someone who’d enjoy something as cliché as a Bachelor party in Vegas.”

“Maybe I would if I actually wanted to get married.”

“…what…?”

“So what are you doing in Vegas? When I asked Auguste if he thought you’d like to join us, he said you’d be busy.”

“You asked Auguste if I’d like to join you?”

“Yeah?”

“Why?”

“Why not? We are friends, are we not?”

“You’re friends with my brother. We hang out when he drags me to things against my will. I don’t know if that qualifies as friends.”

“That’s a shame. I like hanging out with you.”

“No one likes hanging out with me.”

“I’m here, aren’t I?”

“Because half your gang is stuck with medical emergencies.”

“I could have opted for pay-per-view porn.”

“Gross.”

“And you didn’t answer the question. What brings you to Vegas?” Damen asks again.

“A client.”

“You deliver the dresses to your clients yourself?”

“When they pay for the plane ticket,” Laurent says. “She and her fiancé had planned a huge party at a golf club, 500 guests, free drinks all night, you know. The works. Then all of a sudden she realized that the whole thing had been planned by her mother-in-law. She didn’t know half the people on the guestlist and even the cake she had picked out had been changed into something that suited her mother-in-law’s diet. She had a meltdown and her fiancé suggested that they should just get married in Vegas with their best friends as witnesses. It was a joke, but she decided to go for it. Lucky for me, she still wants the dress and since I still have to make minor changes to it with her wearing it, she got me a ticket so we can do the final fitting tomorrow morning right before the wedding.”

“Wow. It must be an amazing dress.”

“It is if I do say so myself.”

Damen tilts his head. “I like that look on your face.”

“What look?”

“You’re proud of yourself.”

For a moment, Laurent can only stare. He feels heat color his cheeks pink and he quickly takes a sip of his Diet Coke to have an excuse not to reply. “What was that about not wanting to get married?” he says to derail the conversation completely.

Damen groans. “Of course you wouldn’t let that go.”

“I can but I think you want to tell me.”

“Do I?”

“Have you told anyone else?”

“No.”

“Well, there you go.”

“You just said we’re not even really friends. Why would you want to listen to my whining?”

“Because I’m a surprisingly nice person,” Laurent deadpans. “And I’m bored.”

“You’re in Vegas.”

“Do I look like someone who enjoys Vegas?”

“Fair enough.”

“Yeah. So, come on. Spill. Why the cold feet?”

“I need a drink for this. Just a second.”

Damen orders a beer and a plate of snacks for them to share. Laurent plays with the nearly melted ice cubes in his glass while he waits for Damen gulp down some courage. Damen’s pint is half-empty when he finally puts it on the table and sighs. “She’s pregnant.”

That catches Laurent off-guard. “Oh! Uh… Congratulations.”

“It’s Kastor’s.”

“…your brother’s?”

“Yeah.”

“But you’re still marrying her?”

“Apparently.”

“Okay, what the ever-fucking-hell?”

“I know, right?” Damen chuckles but Laurent hears no humor behind it.

“Why?”

“Family pride.” The look on Laurent’s face is so appalled that when Damen laughs, it sounds like he's honestly amused. “I made a deal with dad when I was 18. I promised to be married by 25, and he didn’t force me to go to law school.”

“Is marriage really that big of a Status Quo symbol?”

“Unfortunately.”

“It’s 2019.”

“I know. So does my Dad.”

“Does your dad know the baby is not yours?”

“He doesn’t know there’s a baby.”

“…right. Of course he doesn’t.” Laurent suddenly wishes there was rum in his cola. “What would you lose if you called off the wedding?”

“My share of the company. It’s sort of my insurance. I can be a failed journalist but still have a room over my head.”

“Marrying someone who’s having your brother’s baby is worth that?”

“I did love her, you know?”

“You’re avoiding the question.”

“It makes me uncomfortable.”

“Tough.”

“You have no sympathy for me, do you?”

“I’m sorry your dad is more concerned about image than your happiness,” Laurent says. “For a guy your size, though, you have tiny balls. Did you ever even try to stand up for yourself?”

“I didn’t think I had to. I thought I lucked out when I met her, that I found someone that would make me happy,” Damen replies.

Laurent shakes his head in disbelief. “And Kastor is just fine with you raising his child?”

“I don’t think he cares, honestly. Might even be happy that he’s dodging parental duties.”

“Your fiancé doesn’t have anything to say about that?”

“I’d say she’s in shock over his departure but I’m not convinced she feels anything anymore. She kept planning the wedding like nothing has happened.”

“That’s messed up.”

Damen shrugs but doesn’t comment further. He drinks down the last of his beer before standing up. “Well, thanks for listening. I think I’ll head to my room now, see if there’s anything good on TV. Good luck with your…”

“Wait.” Laurent stands up, too, suddenly determined. Damen tilts his head in question. “You deserve a bachelor party.”

“I don’t…”

“I know you have tickets to Cirque du Soleil. Let’s go use them. Then we’ll have dinner wherever it is that you have a reservation and maybe gamble a bit and then you can go to bed because, well, I can’t stay up all night, either.”

It’s almost endearing how confused Damen looks. “Why?”

“I told you. You deserve a Bachelor party.”

“But…”

“Hopefully, by the time we go to bed, I have convinced you to call off the wedding.”

“Laurent, seriously…”

“Don’t try to argue with me, Groom-To-Be. I regularly encounter mothers of brides. You won’t win.”

That manages to bring a smile to Damen’s face. “One would think Auguste is the best at arguing in your family, given that he’s a lawyer.”

“One would,” Laurent says. “Now, come on, let’s go.”

They barely make it in time to see the show which means they have to navigate to their seats through a full audience. The bright side of Damen’s party gang being unable to make it is that they have empty seats on both sides. That makes it somewhat easier for Laurent to enjoy the acrobats, as he’s not usually comfortable in crowds. He finds himself watching Damen almost as much as the show, marveling at how such a huge beast of a man can be brought to such childlike enthusiasm. Damen’s cheering loudly enough to make up for Laurent’s more quiet observing, and while his decision to try and safe Damen’s bachelor party had been spontaneous, he’s now quite happy he’d done it. 

“That. Was. Amazing!” Damen exclaims afterwards. “Like. Holy shit level amazing!” 

“Happy I dragged you out?” 

“So happy! Dinner’s totally on me.” 

“No way, this is your Bachelor Party.” 

Damen shrugs, still smiling. “If the circumstances were different, I’d call this a date.”

“What?” Laurent chuckles. “Don’t be ridiculous. You wouldn’t want to date me.”

“Why not?”

“I’m… a guy?”

“I’ve gone out with guys before.”

“No, you’ve slept with guys. Have you ever actually dated one?

“...all right, fine. I have not. But that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t.”

“Well, in any case, you still wouldn’t want to go out with me. I’m pretty sure even Auguste would advise you against it and he’s obligated to at least tolerate me.”

“You obviously haven’t heard him ramble on about you for an hour straight,” Damen says. “Are you not aware how proud he is of you?”

Laurent hopes the heat he feels does not show on his cheeks. “Well, like I said. He’s…”

“Obligated?” Damen stops to stand in front of Laurent. “I liked it better when you were proud of yourself.”

“I am proud of myself,” Laurent says. “I’m proud of my work. I know I’m good. I have to be good, or I wouldn't have clients while I'm still in school. I just don’t think I’m dating material.” He walks pass Damen. It takes a couple of seconds for Damen to follow. “It doesn’t matter anyway. This is not a date, it’s your bachelor party. Which means I’m paying for dinner.”

He doesn’t let Damen argue, not even when Damen leads them to Top of the World, which may be a bit of a stretch to the wallet of an up-and-coming wedding dress designer. After explaining why they don’t need a table for 6 after all, they are brought to a table for two next to the window where the view is so amazing that even a city like Vegas suddenly takes Laurent’s breath away. He opts for another diet coke while Damen orders a glass of red wine and for a while, they just look through the menu in silence. 

"Who told you you’re not dating material?” Damen asks after they have ordered. 

“No one,” Laurent replies. “I just simply assume that people prefer someone less high maintenance, less bitchy and little less prone to arguing. I don’t mind pointing out when someone is clearly wrong and I have learned quite many don’t like that.”

"You’re not…”

“Oh, I’m all of those things. And I don’t care, I like being the way I am. It just means I’m not exactly the ideal boyfriend.”

“Okay, so, I’m sure you know yourself the best and if you say you’re high maintenance and bitchy I believe you, But you’re also the type of person who listened to his brother’s friend’s sad life story and decided to cheer him up by saving his bachelor party even though he has to work the following morning. If that’s not boyfriend material then I’m not sure what is.”

Laurent traces the rim of his glass with his finger, not sure how to respond to that. 

“I also know you’re hardworking and dedicated,” Damen continues. “I know you genuinely care about your clients, I know you’re as loyal a friend as a friend can be, I know Auguste loves you to the moon and back and Auguste is one of the best people I know and also a really good judge of character. He never liked Jokaste, for example. So I think whoever is lucky enough to have you fall in love with them will actually like - love - the fact that you’re high maintenance, bitchy and prone to arguing.”

Something jumps in the bottom of Laurent’s stomach and it makes his heart skip a beat. The smile on Damen’s face is easy as he looks at Laurent who is sure his cheeks are flaming red by now. 

“Jokaste is an idiot,” he decides and it’s only when Damen huff’s a small chuckle that he realizes he said out loud. “She is,” he says instead of apologizing because why the hell would he lie? 

“Thanks.”

Their order arrives then and for a while, their conversation is easy as they compliment the food and list their favorite places to eat back in New York. Damen even reveals that he wishes to move to a more suburban area but with Jokaste firmly rooted in Manhattan, it probably won’t happen for a while. Laurent speaks of his dreams for his business and that he’s considering adopting a cat. 

“An older one, maybe the sort that everyone thinks will never have a home because they’re aggressive or something.”

“Wouldn’t you like one that you could cuddle?”

“That’s secondary to giving an animal a good home, don’t you think?”

He takes another bite of his salmon and misses the way Damen’s expression changes. 

They share a dessert and Laurent does pay the bill even though Damen still isn’t completely happy about it. As the elevator takes them down to ground level, Laurent suggests a couple of rounds of Roulette in their hotel’s casino, but Damen says: “Let’s just walk for a while.” 

The Strip is abuzz with people and they see quite a few bachelor and bachelorette parties. They take a picture with a bride in a unicorn costume before Damen takes a hold of Laurent’s hand and pulls him somewhere less busy where it’s easier to hold a conversation. 

"Thanks for doing this. I’ve had a great time,” he says with a genuine smile. 

“Me, too,” Laurent replies. “Have I achieved my ultimate goal yet?” 

The smile on Damen’s face fades and for a moment, Laurent regrets asking. It’s not in his nature, however, to backtrack. 

“I think you should tell your father the truth,” he says. “From what I’ve heard, you have a pretty strong relationship with him. I’m sure he wouldn’t make you marry someone who’s having a baby with your brother.” 

“I don’t know…” 

“Don’t tell me you’re worried about Kastor.” 

Damen sighs. “I just don’t want to cause any conflict.” 

“Damen. He’s the one who slept with your fiance. He caused his own conflict, you’d just be undoing yours.” 

Damen still doesn’t look convinced. 

“Is this really about your deal with your dad? Are you sure you don’t still love her?” 

“What?” 

“You’re hardly a failed journalist, I’m pretty sure you could make do without your part of the company. I still don’t believe he’d force you out but even if he did, you’d be fine. I think you know that. But if you still love her, then I understand.”

“We’ve been together for two years.” 

“So you do…” 

“Not like that. I’d have to trust her, and I don’t. It’s just… it’s…” 

“The baby,” Laurent realizes. “You’re worried about the baby.” 

Damen shrugs. “I might not be its dad but I can guarantee that it’ll never want for nothing.” 

“Damen…” 

“I know, I know. I just… If this all blows up and Kastor and I are both left with nothing, what would happen to the kid?” 

The kid would probably live a perfectly happy life, Laurent thinks, but somehow he knows he won’t convince Damen. Damen is afraid of dooming the future of his niece or nephew by being selfish and it’s noble and stupid and Laurent is sure he could fall in love with Damen if he allowed himself. 

“The deal is that you have to get married by the age of 25?” 

“Yeah.” 

“It doesn’t matter who you marry or how?” 

“No?” 

“So if we got married tonight, you’d be keeping your part of the deal?” 

Damen’s eyes widen in surprise, then in confusion, and finally, he laughs. “Ha! I guess I would.”

“Great. Let’s do it, then.” 

“What? Laurent, you’re not serious.” 

“Why not? We’ll get married tonight to make sure you keep your half of the company and thus secure the finances of your brother’s child even if Kastor doesn’t step up. We’ll stay married until you find someone you actually want to be with and then we’ll break up so you can marry them. We don’t even have to live together or wear rings if the deal was as vague as ‘get married or else’. For a lawyer, your dad sure left a lot of loopholes for you to jump through, Auguste would be appalled.” 

It’s clear from Damen’s face that he has realized Laurent is not kidding. “What if you find someone?” 

“Unlikely.” 

“Laurent, come on! I can’t ask you to do this!” 

“You’re not. I’m offering.” 

“But…” 

“I’ll even sign a prenup that clearly states I get nothing if that’s what you’re worried about.” 

“This is not about money, Laurent, we’d be married!” 

“I know, that’s the whole core of this plan. I explained the details. It wouldn’t inconvenience me in any way. I’m sure your future spouse will also understand the circumstances when you explain why you’re already married. If they’re like me, they’ll think you’re an idiot but and idiot with a heart of gold.” 

“Gee, thanks.” 

“So. Will you marry me?” 

For a few seconds, Damen simply stares. Laurent stares back, steady and cool as if he had simply suggested that they should get some ice cream. 

“I can’t believe I’m considering this,” Damen finally mumbles. “No. No, Laurent, I… What, so I just call Jokaste in the morning and tell her the wedding is off?” 

“Yes.” 

“I can’t do that to her!” 

“She slept with your brother!” 

“Yeah, I know, but…”

“No buts, Damen. For Heaven’s sake, you’re getting married for the sake of her child, she should be thankful even though it’s not her that you marry. Come on. I’m offering you a way out. For once in your life, be selfish.”

There’s another moment of silence while Damen tries to come up with arguments. Laurent waits patiently for Damen to calm his inner conflict. Laurent himself doesn’t give way to doubts or listen to the voice in the very back of his mind that is screaming ‘what the fuck are you doing?!’ (That voice sounds a lot like Auguste.) He sees this as a way to help someone who needs help, as unorthodox as it is. 

“How would it even work? Do we just walk into a chapel and ask for one marriage?”

Laurent smiles. “Let’s find out.”

There is an adult part to getting married, even in Vegas. However, getting married on a whim has been made rather easy there, as the Marriage License Bureau is open until midnight. 15 minutes after Damen agrees, they walk out of the Bureau with their License and set out to find a Chapel that has time for a walk-in couple. They end up walking for a while but find a decently un-Vegas like looking place where a small wedding party is just making its way out. There is a half an hour gap before the next party was due so the staff agrees to marry Laurent and Damen with a smile and a surprisingly enthusiastic ‘congratulations!’. 

“Are we really doing this?” 

“Yes, we are,” Laurent confirms. “Now come on, let’s get married so we can go to bed. I have to be up by 8.” 

The whole thing takes approximately 5 minutes. When they say 'I do', Laurent feels like giggling and he can’t even blame alcohol as he hasn’t had any. Even Damen’s grinning, and Laurent thinks it’s the easiest smile he’s seen on Damen’s face all evening. He can’t explain why, but it makes him feel warm in the pit of his stomach. 

Their paid witnesses clap politely as they share a quick peck at ‘you may now kiss’. Laurent is caught off-guard by how his heart skips a beat at the small touch of lips.

“Do you feel different?” Damen asks when they talk out of the chapel. 

Yes, he does, but surprisingly not because he just got married as a favor. “I don’t know,” Laurent settles on saying. “I think it hasn’t sunk in yet.” 

“Hasn’t sunk in? You suggested this!” 

“I did, I know, but I guess I thought you’d refuse.”

“Oh, shit. You regret this, don’t you?” 

“No!” Laurent says quickly. “No, no. I don’t. I promise. I’m glad I could help.” 

“You did. You really did. I feel like I can get air into my lungs again. Who thought all I had to do was get married?” Damen laughs. “Oh God, I have to call everyone tomorrow.” 

“The important word in that sentence is tomorrow.” 

“Yeah. We should head back, shouldn’t we?” 

“Probably.” 

“Yeah.” 

As they start walking down the street back towards their hotel, Damen casually takes hold of Laurent’s hand and laces their fingers. Laurent feels his cheeks heat up and kind of wishes this was just a normal date. 

“Are you going to tell Auguste?” 

“I should. Just as soon as I figure out how to casually slip it into a conversation.” 

“‘Good morning, how are you? I got married to your best friend last night’”. 

“Subtle.” 

Damen shrugs. “You know, I always thought you were gorgeous.” 

“What?” 

“Yeah. I was already with Jokaste when I first met you but I did remember thinking Auguste would kick my ass if he could read my thoughts. Looking back, I think she sort of knew. She downright refused when I suggested that she should ask you to design her wedding dress,” Damen says. 

Laurent blinks. “You did?” 

“I did. I’ve seen your work and I don’t know much about wedding dresses but I thought yours were beautiful.” 

“I… I’m still… I’m just a student still, I’ve just been lucky to have a few…”

“Hey. You said it yourself before, you know you’re good,” Damen cuts him off. “You’re also a good person.” 

“Stop saying things like that.” 

“Or what?” 

"Or I’ll want to kiss you.” 

“Well,” Damen says, stops and turns to face Laurent. “We _are_ married.” 

Laurent’s heart skips again when Damen’s leans down - slowly, to give Laurent time to move away - to catch his lips in a kiss. It’s not just a peck this time but soft and deep and slow. Laurent can taste the wine Damen’s had and smell the cologne he’s wearing. He feels Damen’s fingers combing through his hair and dares to circle his arms around Damen’s waist. 

“When we get back to New York,” Damen says when the break apart. “Will you go out with me?” 

“Yeah. Yeah, of course.” 

“Good. Perfect. Now, I think we really have to go back. You need to look sharp for your client.” 

They walk the rest of the way in a comfortable silence, their hands laced between them. Laurent’s room is a few floors below Damen’s, but Damen’s gets out of the elevator with him anyway and walks him to his door. 

“Thank you,” Damen says, leaning against the door. “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to thank you enough.” 

“You can start by buying me dinner back in New York.” 

“I’ll definitely do that,” Damen promises. “Will I see you tomorrow?” 

“Unless your friends steal you for the entire day, I don’t see why not.” 

“Text me when you’re done with your client.” 

“I will.” 

“Great. Well… Good night then.”

“Good night.” 

They kiss again, and Laurent forgets to breathe. When Damen pulls away, he finds himself a little lightheaded and he closes the door slowly. He leans against the closed door to collect himself and finally lets out the giggle he’s been holding in since saying ‘I do’. 

Oh God, he’s married. 

He’s married and he wants to share his husband’s bed. 

Lauren decides there and then that he’s going after Damen and opens the door only to find Damen behind it with his fist up and ready to knock.

“Did you maybe want to have a proper wedding night?” Damen asks and it’s all it takes to make Laurent’s jeans a little less comfortable. 

“Oh dear God, please, yes!” Laurent breathes out and drags Damen in by his collar. It’s a small miracle they don’t fall over as they stumble to the bed while undressing each other but they do make it and suddenly Laurent is on his back on the soft mattress with Damen’s miraculously impressive figure hovering above him. “We can’t get an annulment if we consummate our marriage.” 

“Well, it’s a good thing I’m planning on falling in love with you then,” Damen says and dives in for a kiss that makes Laurent moan. 

He moans a lot that night, as Damen brings him to his climax twice. 

In the morning, Laurent wakes up to find Damen’s arm around his waist. He wonders for a moment what woke him up but then he hears knocking. Groaning, he checks his phone and sees that he has three new messages and it’s already a few minutes past 8. Yesterday, he might have felt irritated and stressed that he forgot to set himself an alarm but with Damen kissing a lazy trail down his neck, he can’t help but smile. 

“I have to get up,” Laurent says quietly. 

“Mm. Who’s at the door?” 

“Probably my breakfast. I figured it would save me time.” 

“Think you could spare me a cup of coffee?” 

“I might be able to be persuaded. Yeah, yeah, I’m coming!” he calls when the knocking continues. He quickly puts on the first shirt he sees which ends up being Damen’s and closes a couple of buttons out of decency before opening the door with: “I’m sorry, I was… Oh! Auguste!” 

Laurent hears a thump behind him.

“Good morning,” Auguste says, his eyebrows high on his forehead. “So this is why you didn’t answer your messages,” he comments with a nod at the shirt that is very clearly not Laurent’s. “I was worried you worked too late and overslept.”

“Ah, well. I did, sort of… Oversleep, I mean. So… Thank you. For waking me up.”

“You’re welcome. I came to ask if you wanted to join me for breakfast. Jord already ate and everyone else is asleep.”

“I ordered room service. I still have work to do, it’s easier.”

“Smart. And I see you already have company.”

“...yeah.”

“Well. I’ll go wait until Nik wakes up then.”

“How is he?”

“He’s fine. He’s more upset about Damen’s bachelor party being ruined than his injury. Did you see Damen last night, by any chance?”

“I, uh… Yeah. I bumped into him. We had a drink.”

Auguste looks surprised. “You did? Did he seem upset?"

“No, not at all.”

“So you had a drink with Damen and still had time to meet…” Auguste stops mid-sentence, and suddenly Laurent realizes that he made a mistake. “Wait.”

“I really should start getting ready and my breakfast should be here any minute, I…”

“Damen?”

Auguste’s tone suggests that he already knows as he calls his friend’s name. Laurent turns slowly to see Damen peek sheepishly from behind the bed, phone to his ear. He gives a small wave before diving back to his hiding place, talking softly to whoever is at the other end of the line.

“What the fuck?”

“It’s a long story, but I…”

“He’s getting married, Laurent, what the hell?!”

“Not anymore.”

“What?”

“I’ll explain later. Or we will. I don’t know.”

“I’ll be the first to admit that I have never liked her but seriously, I never thought…”

“She did it first!” Laurent snaps and that shuts Auguste up. “I do have to get ready. I promise, you’ll hear the whole long story but for now, rest assured that she has no right to be upset. Now go, please, and don’t tell anyone about this.”

Auguste looks like he wants to argue but that’s when Laurent’s breakfast arrives and it’s the perfect excuse to insist that Auguste really should go. Auguste steals a croissant from his tray with a huff and says ‘I’ll tip him’ when Laurent can’t find his wallet. “I’m going to kick your ass, Damen!” he says loudly enough for Damen to hear and finally turns to leave. 

“Well,” Damen says as Laurent closes the door. “At least I married you before sleeping with you. Do you think he’ll feel less hostile when he hears that?”

Laurent laughs out loud. “Oh God.”

“Jokaste called, by the way.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. She’s going to marry Kastor instead.”

“...what?”

“He had a change of heart and proposed. She loves him. Or at least, loves the idea that she can raise the baby with its actual dad.”

“Huh.” Laurent walks back to the bed. “Weirdly convenient timing.”

“Maybe, but I don’t care.” Damen pulls Laurent down. “Do you have time for round three?”

“I really, really don’t.”

“Shower?”

“Just a shower?”

“I promise to try.”

“I’ll keep the water cold.”

He does, but that doesn’t stop Damen from bringing him to his third climax within 10 hours.

* * *

**One year later**

“Is that the last one?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, thank God!” Laurent collapses onto the couch that is surrounded by cardboard boxes, all labeled with different rooms. Exhausted, he throws his arm over his eyes. “Remember when we said we should find a place together instead of just one of us moving in with the other?”

Damen lifts Laurent’s legs so he can sit on the couch, too. “I remember it being your suggestion.”

“I was an idiot.”

“No, you were not. We have a balcony now.”

Laurent grunts. 

“And, well. Actually. There’s one more box.”

“No. No more boxes. I’m burning the next box I see.”

“This is just a small one.”

Laurent peeks out from under his arm and sits up with an ‘oh my God!’ when he sees a tiny, square box in Damen’s hand. 

“I figured you should finally have one,” Damen explains with a smile. He opens the box to reveal a simple, golden ring that perfectly matches Laurent’s simple style. “Laurent de Vere. Will you stay married to me for the rest of my life?”

“You buffoon,” Laurent chuckles. “Yes. Yes, I’ll stay married to you for the rest of your life.”

Damen’s smile is wide as he places the ring on Laurent’s finger. “I also ordered a cake,” he announces proudly and Laurent is too in love with him to think he’s ridiculous, 

They never did find out what Theomedes would have done if Damen had simply called off the wedding. They decided they don't need to know if they had gotten married for nothing. It doesn't matter now anyway. They're still married a year later and they're going to a cat shelter tomorrow to find a cat to adopt together.

“By the way, I think you were right after all,” Damen says. 

“About what?”

“About not being dating material.”

“If you say ‘you were always husband material’ I swear I’ll divorce you.”

Damen laughs out loud and tackles Laurent onto the couch even with threats of messy and expensive break up echoing in the still rather empty apartment. 

The threats turn to gentle I love you’s and soon the ring is the only thing Laurent has on. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you :)


End file.
